>> he gravitated -- he is an earnest young man who gravitated towards -- as he got into college, he did not come from a super political family. his father was a fan of ronald reagan, but not really political. he gravitated towards a conservative way of looking at the world. by the time he got to college, by most accounts, he brought some of that with him. after college, when he hooked up the senate republican from wisconsin, who was a strong supply sidejguy and jack kemp and bill bennett, everything crystallized for him in terms

of his economic world view and limited government and pro- market orientation. >> he mentioned that paul ryan likes to talk about policy. there is no doubt about that. how have you seen him talking about politics. he does not like to apple length about political issues as much as a policy wonk issues. he has just been picked as vice president. how do you think he is going to handle that? >> he likes to talk about how disinterested he is in politics and how he is a policy guide. in fact, i think he is a very good politician who does have some political acumen. i have had conversations with him over the years where the

conversation will drift over politics. he has opinions about the presidential race. he will offer tactical and strategic opinions. people should not miss the political dimensions. there is paul ryan the policy guy, there is the very ideological conservative. you see reflected in his relationship with the media. he is a good communicator, good and at ease with reporters. those are some of his political skills that work. >> why the budget? what led him to propel himself to be the chairman of the budget committee? it is a political document as well as a policy document. >> he has a certain economic orientation. he wanted to become an

economist, never getting there. when he got to washington, that was his policy interests. he saw the potential to turn the leadership on the budget committee, whether it was ranking member or budget chairmen into this platform comment into this role of influence in terms of -- even though we all know the budget chair is not the person with the power. he made something of this position, which was unconventional. he made it into a forum for projecting his view of for the republican party should be on government. >> thank you very much for being with us. the day after the president's very first step of the union

address in february of 2009, paul ryan was the ranking republican on the house budget committee. he joined us to talk about the budget process. >> we're going to pass the rest of the current fiscal year. last congress did not finish the job. then we call the budget resolution. thursday, the president sent his abbreviated version of the budget. our timeline is to get this done in the first week of april. we get that done, we send instructions on their funding targets they have to hit. that occurs over the course over the spring and summer. by end of the fiscal year, these 11 appropriations bills will be passed into law. thursday starts the ball rolling. by the beginning of april, congress should have passed the budget resolution. and then we bring all those bills back together and these

things ought to be passed by the end of the fiscal year. lately, that has not worked that way. we have gone past the deadlines, past the fiscal year deadlines. today is an example. we are passing an appropriations bill today. 8.8% increase in discretionary spending. these are bills that were supposed to be passed last september 30. we are really increasing spending dramatically and that is going to hurt our ability to reduce our deficit. that is a big concern. >> paul ryan in february 2009. let me ask you about how he is viewed by his colleagues. >> he is respected on both sides of the aisle. chris van holland and him get along very well. he is respected so much that

there has been talk of them making a leadership bid against john boehner. he never did that, but they have to look over their shoulder because there was a respected up and comers who was urged to run, but opted not to do it. >> how will this play out? what are republicans going to be doing? >> we have seen some of it already. what i think we will see down the stretch is social security reform. you go back to 2005, that the bill did not go anywhere. that bill, the main sponsor was paul ryan. he was taking on a big entitlement program, it was not

popular with seniors. on social security and medicare, paul ryan is going to be attacked. mitt romney knew that. the chances of major reform along the lines of what they want are not going to happen. >> thank you for being with us as we talk about congressman paul ryan and many of the evidence we have covered over the years from the "washington journal" to his policy speeches, all part of c-span's a video library. one of those events came in chicago at the economic club in which he talked about medicare. this is paul ryan may 16 of last year on the issue of medicare. >> our budget also gets health care spending under control by an powering americans to fight back against skyrocketing costs. our budget makes no changes to

those in or near retirement. it offers future generations is strengthened medicare program that they can count on would guaranteed coverage options, less help for the wealthy, and more for the poor and sick. there is widespread bipartisan agreement that the open-ended fee-for-service structure of medicare is a key driver of health care cost inflation. ask any hospital executives and it will tell you the same thing. medicare is not the train being pulled along by the engine of rising costs. medicare is the engine and the rest of us are getting taken for a ride. this disagreement is not about the problem. it is about the solution to controlling costs in medicare. if i could sum up the disagreement in a couple sentences, i would say this. our plan is to give seniors the power to deny business to an

efficient providers. [applause] their plan is to give the government the power to deny care to seniors. what our budget does, given that medicare and medicaid -- those two programs alone are the biggest contributors to it. you have to restructure how these programs work. the trustees gave us a new warning last week that medicare is going bankrupt a lot faster than we thought it was. if we did this now, we can do it on our own terms as the country. we do not have to pull the rug under from people look already retired. people who are 10 years away from retiring are preparing for it. do not change their benefits, but in order to do that, you have to reform this program for the next generation.

you have to make a solvent system so that you can cash flow the current generation. the way he did that, we believe, is not by given a panel of 15 bureaucrats the authority to micromanage medic kit -- medicare. we say, let's younger people select among the list of medicare guaranteed coverage options. it works like this system federal employees have. you subsidize insurance. give support to the people that needed the most and less support to the people who needed the least. it helps solve our debt crisis.

can this be done? i hardly think this is some radical idea. this is the same kind of recommendation that president clinton's bipartisan commission recommended in the late 1990's. it worked just like current medicare benefits for today. medicare advantage works like this. by near the supplemental insurance works like this. -- buying supplemental insurance works like this. we believe the best way to get at this issue is by giving the patient the power. a consumer directed system. hospitals, insurers, doctors compete against each other for our business as consumers. we spend a lot of money on health care, but we do not spend it very intelligently.

we need a system, where we have transparency in price, transparency in quality, so we can have apples to apples metrics comparison. i do believe you need to do it -- we subsidize people and the higher income brackets allot more. that is upside down. we want a system where the individual is in the driver's seat, not some bureaucrats. i would argue for subsidizing those with pre-existing conditions of they do not go bankrupt. we bring more competition, more choice to the health-care sector. if we did this, i think we will be fine. we will grow the economy. we can have insurance for everybody who does not have it and we can do without breaking

the bank. [applause] >> as the newly elected chair of the house budget committee, he delivered his remarks and to questions at the chicago economic club focusing on medicare, one of the key issues in this election. we're looking back at the video library. all this is available to you at any time on c-span.org. this is a significant budget issue, social security. >> what i propose is a system of voluntary personal retirement accounts. raise taxes, cut benefits, or in less and borrow more money. there are two ways to grow the rate of return. have the government invest the money, or have personal

retirement accounts for individuals. what we're talking about is not privatizing social security. we are not talking but giving people the ability to take a chunk of their payroll taxes and taking it outside the system. people are not buying this choosing stocks and bonds. under that system, people under the age of 55 will be able to take half of their payroll taxes and a personal retirement account. the rest would go to fund the current system. survivors' benefits, and disability benefits.

transition financing is a big debate, how you get from here to there. i will not go into how i propose to do that, but i have a very sophisticated plan. >> people are very interested in this topic. what happens if you are an investor who takes advantage of the option to invest separately and you get a street for the market goes down? >> under my plan, i have a safety net. we should have and maintain the social security safety net. >> no risk plan. >> if you are under 55, you'll get what you would have otherwise gone from social security. how you guard against -- that is why we proposed a life cycle account.

it changes your portfolio as you grow older. when you are younger, you will have a mix of heavy stock index funds, light on bond index funds. you are completely out of the stock market so that you do not fall prey to a down market by the time you retire. another thing that is very important, there is no 20-year time or we did not do better in social security than we're doing right now. social security is a long-term investment. part of the reason why we are saying 55 and under it is said they have time to plan and grow their investment. at the age of 35, all i have to do is get that 1% rate of return for me to do better than i would other ways -- otherwise do.

all we have to do is get a little bit better than that to do better for ourselves. i want to get to people's calls. >> personal retirement accounts help us choose solvency -- achieve solvency. if susan, you take a portion of your payroll taxes. that portion you are diverting over to your personal retirement account, the government is not going to get that money. the system is off the hook to pay you that part of your benefits for those dollars

because you'll get that benefit out of your personal retirement account. the system reduces the expenditures by that amount. that helps bring the system and to solvency. we are about the same age, as you would have to do a little bit better than that to break even. >> the safety net, which would guarantee me, won't that draw? >> as workers grow that fund, the safety nets is completely paid for. we can go into the financing part of all these things, but right now, over the long term, we face a $12 trillion debt on social security.

>> from march 9, 2005, paul ryan talking about social security. some of the key issues in this budget plan. earlier, we heard his comments about medicare. it was last year when he became a chair of the house budget committee. he outlined details of what is now known as the ryan plan. >> look at our historic sites of our government, right around 20% of gdp. here is the path to your on right now. this is the path the president's budget is complicity with. the size of our government is double by the time my kids are my age. here is the spending path that this prosperity plan presents. we bring the size of government back down to 20% of gdp.

we have budget enforcement mechanisms, multiple spending caps. this is how we get $6.20 trillion at spending cuts the first 10 years. let's take a look at deficit. take a look at where we are headed. we had deficits and the past. look at where we are headed with our deficits. this is where the president's budget plan is completed with. this is the path of the status quo. these are the kinds of deficits will be racking up if we do not do something to fix this problem. here is the path we are proposing with respect to our path for prosperity. very different choice of two different features. let's talk about debt. we have had debt in this country before. people get a mortgage to buy a house. typically, you measure your

debt as relative to your income. take a look at our debt. over -- we if that had been before. that was temporary. then went back down. it would down to reasonable levels but look at what the congressional budget office is telling us is our future of debt. this red ink is gone to destroy our economy. we know we are giving the next generation a lower standard of living. we asked the cbo to tell us what the future of the economy looked like. they ran a computer model stimulating the economy forward. the models break in 2037. they cannot conceive of the time in which the economy can continue past that moment because of this burden of debt. this is our debt path.

we get this paid off. that is the future we want for our children. we believe we have been more responsibility to put the kinds of controls and reforms in place to keep this country growing. we need job growth. we need economic growth. we ask the heritage center for data analysis to review this budget. they use the global inside model. here is what the results show. this plan result in faster economic growth. $1.50 trillion in additional economic growth over a decade. 1 million jobs next year to be created under this plan. the unemployment rate goes down to 4% in the year 2015.

in the last year of this budget, we're kicking greeted creating 2.5 million new jobs in the private sector in that year alone. it also predicts higher wages. it also predicts higher family income, nearly $1,000 per family per year result from the better economic growth this plan for prosperity presents. this is a plan for prosperity. when you take a look at the choice of the two futures we have, we can either choose the red line, a sea of debt and deficits, or we can choose that green line, or we face up to the challenges confronting this generation now to give our country a better future. we've always had a legacy or each generation -- where each generation cakes on challenges of the next generation is better off.

we are not going to be giving our children a better standard of living. we know we will not make them better off. that is a fact that is not daunted by any independent fiscal expert. we owe it to our country in kids to fix this problem. what of the worst experiences i've ever had was in the 2008 financial crash. that cottas by surprise. -- that caught us by surprise. added that resulted ugly legislation. and then we witnessed trillions of wealth of being lost. then we witnessed millions of seniors lose their savings. and then we witnessed millions of people lose their jobs. we're still trying to recover. what if your congressmen, your president saw it coming? what if they knew was going to happen?

what if they knew what could be done to prevent it from happening? but they decided not to because it was not the politics. what would you think of your president? you're a member of congress? that is where be our right now. this is the most predictable economic crisis in our history. what are we doing, playing politics? we do not need politicians, we need leadership? we believe we have a moral imperative, we got together on the budget committee and we decided it is time to stand up and do what is necessary to fix this country. we to be honest with the american people about the problems and fe. with the fact base budget. no more accounting tricks, no more accounting gimmicks.

i will be happy to take your questions. >> [inaudible] >> this shows you how deep of a hole this country is then. -- is in. what matters the most is we get this contained. this shows you the sooner you act to fix this problem, the better everybody is. the kinds of reforms we are proposing did not affect senior citizens. they did not take benefits away from people who are 55 and above. we can achieve that. what happens of the keep kicking the can down the road, we go about $10 billion into the hole.

that means cuts to seniors, tax increases. we want to preempt that kind of austerity. it is gone to take awhile to dig their way out of this problem. [inaudible] >> we do not proposed increasing taxes. if you raise taxes, can you move the numbers are there? you lose jobs, you lose economic growth. we need spending cuts and economic growth. raise taxes on the economy, you do not get the growth. we are now in the 21st century. we are in a global economic environment. in wisconsin, we're competing with people from india and china.

the only tax our businesses and at the highest tax rates, we lose and they win. >> april 5 of last year, congressman paul ryan outlines details of what is now known as the ryan plan. from the "washington journal," his speeches in washington and elsewhere in the country, now on the campaign trail. he made his first appearance in 1995 as a staff member. three years later, he returned as a newly elected member of congress. this is from november 17, 1998. it is all part of c-span's video library as the track his career in washington and

wisconsin. you can check it out anytime at c-span.org/videolibrary. >> more on the countdown to the convention. in three days, coverage of the republican national convention here on c-span. coming up, republican presidential candidate mitt romney campaigned in pobbs, new mexico. but 7:00 a.m., "washington journal." we will have a behind-the-scenes look at the online media co., talking points memo. today, in discussion on challenges facing transgender service members.

the national lgbt bar association is hosting their annual meeting and that will be covered on c-span to live it 9:00 a.m.. ♪ ♪ >> republican presidential candidate mitt romney had a rally in the hobbs, new mexico highlighting his energy plan. this plan expands on offshore drilling and gives states more responsibility. mr. perrone said his energy plan would create 3 million jobs and ed more than $1 trillion in revenue. this is 25 minutes. ♪ thank you, congressman appears and the great heather wilson who has to become the next u.s. senator for arizona.

thank you governor sanchez for being here. i appreciate the work his team is doing. mayor cobb, thank you, and thank you to the people here. i think the smith family really build this business. we appreciate the fact you're building this enterprise. i don't believe the government built this enterprise. i believe the people build our economy. [applause] the president said something about that not too long ago that was revealing. it was in virginia. on sure he wishes he could take the word back but there were very revealing of what he believes. he said if you have a business, you did not build it, someone else did that. he went on to say you're taking me out of context. look at the context of his remarks. it is even worse than the quote.

he said of you are successful, it is because you work hard but a lot of people work hard. you may think it is because your smart but many people are smart. in this country, we value individuals to apply themselves and increase their knowledge and capacity to think and learn. welcome people in this country who work hard and understand that those people are smart or card, make their enterprises better, they increase the understanding we have a however, it works there we go. i need someone out here to hold that. we welcome people will are smart and work hard because they are people of achievement. whether it is a person who works hard to get a promotion at work and do a better job or get a raise for their family or the

kid that makes the honor roll, she works hard and studies are and makes the honor roll. if she does, we recognize that to get to school she had to go on a school bus but we credit her with doing it, not the school bus driver. [applause] i happen to think the president's lack of understanding about individual initiative and hard work, education, and risk-taking and his lack of understanding of how that drives our economy puts in place a series of policies that have not worked for the american people. the evidence is around the country. you have 23 million people out of work today or have stopped looking for work or, get part- time jobs. you have a kid coming out of college this year and cannot find a job consistent with their college degree. one of six americans has fallen into poverty. the president's policies have not worked. almost everything he has done

has made it harder for this economy to recover and as a result of that, middle income families across america are having hard times. another report cannot yesterday showing middle income families are having a harder time maintaining their standard of living. this is inexplicable and a number that is so prosperous to see a nation with so many middle income families having such tough times. the median income of american family has dropped in the last 3.5 years. by $4,000. gasoline prices have doubled, electricity rates have gone up, food prices of gone up, people are being squeezed and living paycheck to paycheck. this is the best the obama team can do but we can do better and we will. [applause] across the country over the last several months describing a five-point plan that will get this country going again and create good jobs with

rising incomes and those five- point i will mention briefly but one i will talk about in some doubt today. number one is taking advantage of our energy resources of oil, coal, gas, renewals, wind, solar -- that is number one. we have to make sure that our schools are world class. we invented education in this state and we have to improve our schools and make the best of the world. we have to mow have more trade. we have to open up trade with latin american and other parts of the world and crack down on cheaters like china when they cheat. [applause] #four, we will not get businesses and individuals to risk hiring people if they think america will become greece. we have to get serious about cutting federal spending, encouraging growth, and find a balance our budget in this country.

[applause] #5, we have to champion small business. we have to help small business, keep their taxes competitive, get regulators to see their job to encourage them, not crush them and take up that big cloud that is taken away from hiring in small business and that is obama care. we need to replace it with something else. [applause] i want to go deeper for a moment. the number one objective is energy. if i am the president of the united states and a few months, i will set a national goal of america and north america energy independence by 2020.

it is achievable. this is not a pie in the sky. this is a real achievable objective and i have a chart that despite the wind is still holding up. on the left-hand side, you see a bar that represents -- you cannot read the writing but i can read it from here -- that bar shows how much our total demand is in the united states and we are making about 15 million barrels today. the rest we import. we're producing about 2/3 of what we use and importing about 1/3. we across the -- we go across the line and their various sources of energy. first have a bark representing conventional sources. the great boar says the conventional sources that we already have are probably going

to see a little reduction in production over the next 10 years. we will have to make up for that reduction and add to it. offshore drilling is next. we will add about 2 million barrels per day of offshore drilling. the next is fracking technology. tight oil is a big source of supply which is another 2 million barrels per day. alaska, that will adept -- an additional production in this country. natural gas liquids -- it is a source of energy -- as you produce natural gas, you get the liquid and they can be refined to create a gasoline for automotive purposes. that is another 2 million barrels per day. then we have biofuels. whether it is ethanol or by of

diesel, will produce about 1 million barrels per day additional capacity. then we come to canada, they have oil sands and we will take advantage of that and bill that keystone pipeline and work with them to take advantage of their energy sources. [applause] the last little bar i have as mexico. i'm not counting on any increase there. they have been declining slightly but by virtue of a new we will findeithere, ourselves being able to work with mexico to share our technology and know-how to become more productive and add to the energy produced in north america. by 2020, we are able to produce well and will need to buy any oil from the middle east, venezuela or anyone else if we don't want to. [applause] you might wonder how in the

world i'm going to do all of those things because those opportunities have existed for a long time, we just haven't taken advantage of them. so there are some things i'm going to do differently that makes it possible for us to be able to achieve those improvements in production from all of those sources i described. number one, on federal lands, the permitting process to actually drill and get oil or gas is extraordinari slow. interestingly, on state lands and private lands, state regulators have streamlined their permitting process, there a valuation, their environmental process and say process. they have found a way because states compete with each other and have found a way to do things more efficiently. in north dakota, it takes 10 days to get a permit for a new well. in colorado, it takes 27 days to get on state land a permit. but do you know how long it takes federal government

regulators to get a permit on federal land? an average 307 days. here's what i'm going to do -- i am going to have the states take responsibility for the permitting process on federal lands. [applause] of course the process is going to have to be reviewed and approved by the federal government and will be overseen and monitored, but will have state regulators not just regulate oil production and gas production on state lands and private lands but also on federal lands, and that will improve the creation of new oil wells and gas wells and get more production to the people who need it. i also want to note another way we are going to get more production and that is with regard to our offshore resources. right now, the federal government has been holding off offshore development. what we're going to have to do is speed that up, so i'm putting together a five-year leasing plan to lease offshore sources and we will make as part of that, carolina, virginia and

the gulf will have companies that do the drilling responsible for getting this target and if not, we'll have corrective measures. but we're finally going to make sure we implement state of the art safety procedures for offshore drilling and a sure as we put in place these regulations and procedures their design for safety, not designed to stop drilling for energy resources, using the law to stop drilling for energy is not in the best interest of our people. [applause] #3, going to establish an energy partnership with canada and mexico. we're going to work collectively have a fast-track process to make sure infrastructure projects are approved. particularly, we're going to get the keystone pipeline in -- keystone pipeline approved. number four, it's time we get an accurate inventory about how much energy we have. the president keeps talking

about the idea that we only have 2% of the world's oil reserves. that's a dramatic understatement of the energy resources of this country. it's probably seven times that amount or more. i'm going to authorize a seismic study of our onshore and offshore resources to find out what we have had where we have an going to require those that have the service -- have these surveys to collect them and share them with one another and take advantage of an understanding of what our resources are so we can plan accordingly. i am also going to do something that has been around for a long time -- i'm going to change to regulatory and permitting process to make a more transparent and make sure as we put in place regulations, they are designed to actually help get production where is needed and not using regulation to stop the production of energy. if sometimes i have the impression that the whole regulatory attitude of the administration is trying to stop oil and gas and coal.

they don't want those sources. they want to get those things so expensive than so rare that wind and solar become highly cost-effective and efficient. i like wind and solar like the next person, but i don't want a lot to be used to be stopped -- to stop the production of oil, gas, and coal and i'm going to get to lot to be transparent time lines, statutes of limitations and stop using a legal suits to stop the production of energy in this country. [applause] number six, i want to promote energy innovation. what do i mean by that? we have watched the president followed different paths. he has taken federal dollars, your money, to invest in companies, smaller companies, when companies, about $90 billion in so-called green jobs. $90 billion has gone to this. the government of the united states is not a very good venture capitalist. he says he's picking winners and losers. mostly he has been picking

losers. there is a long list of these businesses he is investing in. i don't want government investing in companies, particularly companies of his campaign contributors. i want instead to have our government investing in basic science and research, finding new sources of energy, also finding ways to be more efficient in our use of energy. i happen to believe that dotted line i have there where it says american energy uses -- usage will stay about the same. i say we can bring that down three -- we can bring that down. we may even be an exporter of energy at some point when you consider all our resources. but this is where we should be devoting our federal dollars, not on trying to put money into businesses which often fail. instead, putting money into technology, science and research. we do that and you will see new opportunities to get america and north america energy

independent. what are the benefits of all this? if we actually get there, and i am planning on getting there. if i get elected, we're going to get there. [applause] let me tell you what the benefits are. 3 million jobs. 3 million jobs come from doing this. 3 million jobs. that is 1 million in manufacturing. that's a lot of energy-related jobs. 3 million jobs come back to this country by taking advantage of something we have underneath their feet. that is oil, gas, and coal. we're going to make it happen and create those jobs. it adds $500 billion to the size of our economy. "that is more good wages and the opportunity for more americans to have a bright and prosperous future. it also means potentially hundreds of billions of dollars of tax revenues going into states and federal government

which can make sure we have a military second to none and schools that lead the world and care for our seniors, better roads and bridges. [applause] accomplishing what i described right there means lower energy prices for american families. by the way, for american businesses, so that as businesses are thinking about or to build a factory and a look at the cost of production of a particular product, they see in north america, we have ample energy and it is low cost. that will bring businesses back here. he will see more manufacturing come back to the united states as a result of doing what is so clearly in our best interest. [applause] by the way, we have all noticed the trade deficit. that's how much more we buy from other people than they buy from us. doing what we describe will reduce that trade deficit by 80%.

think of the impact of that. [applause] let me mention something else -- we have to have a national security strategy which takes into account the fact america will be stronger if we have all the energy we need to power our economy and our military. this is not just a matter of economy and jobs and rising incomes and a growing economy and more tax revenues. it is also more security. it means we don't have to rely on people who sometimes don't like us very much. america will be able to stand on its own. the can stand with our friends from mexico and canada and make sure we have all of the energy we need to make sure our military never has to borrow from some across the ocean that might not be our best friend. [applause] i happen to believe if you do what i described, and i'm planning on doing it when i get

elected, if we do that, and those other four things i described which are fixing our schools and training programs and making sure we improved trade and make trade work for america and finally attack it -- tackle our deficit and champion small business, you do those things and this economy is going to come roaring back. [applause] the other day, the vice president was talking about how things are getting some much better for the middle class in america. i wish you'd go out and talked to some people and the people across this land. it's not getting better for the 23 million people out of work or stop looking for work it's not getting better for people who are seeing their incomes go down and their costs go up. it's not getting better for people getting out of college and can't find work. what i have described here will make things better for the

middle-class america. people all over this country will be convinced again it's great to be middle-class america. moms and dads will no kids coming out of school will be able to get a good job. this is critical for our generation, the coming generation, and for the world. i say for the world because people around the world look to america. they need a strong america. they know a strong america is essential to peace on the planet. a strong america keeps the world's worst actors from doing the world's worst things. i had the privilege a few weeks ago of a meeting with lech walesa. he said through an interpreter that you are probably tired. you sit down and listen, so i did. he began to speak for about 15 minutes uninterrupted and his message was straightforward. he repeated it again and again

-- where is american leadership? we need america's leadership. america is the only superpower on the planet. we need america to be strong. [applause] getting north american energy independence is key to american leadership. so is fixing our schools and balancing our budget, making trade work for us and understanding the power of small business, individual initiative, hard work. this is what america is all about. i have been inspired as i've gone across the campaign trail for the last months and i have seen americans who have taken the initiative to try to build enterprises for themselves and improve the lives of their families. i am inspired by the power of individuals, of a person and a family changing the life of other people in the family. my sister has eight children. she is so enthusiastic, positive and energetic.

she has raised terrific kids. seven of them are married. her eighth is a down syndrome away. he is 43. she's 75 and her husband passed away a few years ago. jeffrey was at home with her and she devotes her life for caring for him and her kids and grandchildren. the impact of one person, of a strong personality of love and affection is enormous in a family. enormous also in an economy. i have gone across the a cop -- i have gone across the country and that entrepreneurs will time and i'm impressed by their capacity to lift others through their ideas. i met a woman who had her own business. i said how did you get your company started? she said her husband got his company starting and took a class in upholstering. she started a company of her own and hired him as her first employee.

[laughter] she went on to hire 40 more people as upholsterers. now she has a successful a bolstering country. -- upholstering company. i met another woman in north carolina just a few days ago. she is in the furniture business. hard to compete with china in the furniture business and other foreign sources but she found a way to do it. the jobs and people she works for. she decided she would focus her furniture in one small segment -- she makes a furnitures for -- she makes furniture for waiting rooms and hospitals. by making a superb quality product at a good price, she has been unable to maintain our business and the jobs of some 27 people who work with her. i met another guy who by virtue of his insight and imagination and hard work and smarts was able to change the lives of a lot of other people. he is in southern illinois and graduated second in his high

school class. second from the bottom. [laughter] he decided college was not in his future and talk to his dad about a loan and his dad and loaned him the money to the business started. they split. he was going to be in the food business and he went on to buy a hamburger grill and hot dog roller, you know they put the hot dogs on and by the time he costed it all out, he found out it was more expensive than he had money for. but the only thing he could do was make sandwiches. so he set up tables in the garage and then delivers them to people at business. now his business is known as a jimmy johnson. he has 1500 restaurants and employs 60,000 people. one person making a difference. it's an amazing thing, america, where individual and

initiatives, individual know how, hard work, people pursuing their own course, their own dreams have built america. freedom has built america. when the founders crafted the founding documents of america, they said our rights came from god. they did not say they came from government. they came from god. and among the more life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. [applause] that's what makes us a unique and exceptional nation. individuals, moms, dads, kids at school, entrepreneurs, even political leaders who have an issue to come in sight, passion are willing to take risk and make a difference. it's what makes america what we are. i think the president thinks it's somehow government that makes us what we are. that is not the answer. the answer is to rely on individuals and their dreams and passions. i'm going to keep america strong by returning america to the freedoms we have all known, bringing to each individual the

capacity to achieve, to pursue their dreams. i love america. i love the principles upon which america was founded. i know if we do the things i have described, america is going to come roaring back. our families needed, market needs it, the world needs it. we're going to keep america the shining city on the hill and together, we're going to get to mexico to help me become the next president. thank you very much. great to be with you. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> mitt romney will travel from new mexico to join his vice- presidential candidate. we will have live coverage a tall clock 5:00 p.m.. -- at two o'clock 5:00 p.m..

. 12:05. the national lesbian and gay bar association will have vague -- their annual discussion at 9:00 a.m. today. >> what i like watching on c- span is the live coverage of the debate going on on the floor. when i looked for the major news channels, attend to see a lot of talking heads and not a lot of substance about what is actually going on in the process. that is what i like about it, the fact that you are showing us what is happening on the floor of the house of representatives in that moment and giving us that insight into how the process actually works. >> daniel watches our programming on comcast.

cspan was greeted by cable companies in 1979, brought to as a public service by your cable provider. >> in three days, coverage of the republican convention from tampa, live on c-span. coming up this morning, "washington journal"is live with political news. at 5:00 p.m. eastern, mitt romney and paul ryan campaign and commerce, michigan. -- in commerce, michigan. in 45 minutes, we will discuss mitt romney's mormon faith and the role of religion in the 2012 presidential campaign. presidential campaign. at 8:30